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Tag Search: “political economy”

Promoting women in grassroots governance: Strategies that work

There are more than a million women elected to the Panchayati Raj Institutions of local governance in India. Despite constitutional provisions, women face many barriers when they participate in local ...

  • Notes from the Field

Political reservations for women and policy influence of low-castes in India

Many policies are designed along a particular identity dimension, such as gender or ethnicity. However, such policies overlook the fact that individuals are associated with several identity dimensions...

  • Articles

The particulars of social policy in India: Evidence, State capacity, and policy design

Economist-activist Jean Drèze has argued that economists are no better equipped to comment on development policy design than other social science researchers and other stakeholders, and that policymak...

  • Perspectives

Do Indian voters mind their representatives getting rich in office?

Asset declarations, requiring politicians to disclose their financial information, are becoming increasingly common across the world. In India, financial declarations are part of public affidavits fil...

  • Articles

The strategic logic of money flows in Indian elections

Why do political candidates give voters handouts during election campaigns, even when they are unable to monitor voter behaviour? Based on a qualitative study in Mumbai, this article argues that compe...

  • Articles

Sunlight as disinfectant: Disclosure requirements and corruption in India

It is believed that transparency and free access to information can root out corruption and malfeasance in government. This article finds that the introduction of asset disclosure rules for candidates...

  • Articles

Enfranchising your own? Polling officer identity and electoral outcomes

The provision of free and fair elections is a public service critical to maintaining accountability and responsiveness of elected officials. This article examines the administration of polling station...

  • Articles

Election by community consensus: Effects on political selection and governance

Multiple states in India incentivise village communities to elect their political representatives by community consensus, doing away with the need for state governments to organise official secret bal...

  • Articles

Labour market effects of workfare programmes: Evidence from MNREGA

India’s Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MNREGA), the world’s largest workfare programme, provided employment to 51 million households in 2016. Assessing the impact of MNREGA on the...

  • Articles

Parikshit Ghosh speaks with Karl Ove Moene

There is a view that upsurge in inequality due to globalisation is leading to rising appeal of political platforms that promote inward-looking policies. In this podcast, Parikshit Ghosh (Member of the...

  • Podcasts

Religion and abortion: The role of politician identity

Debates surrounding abortion invoke both religion and politics. This column examines whether the religious identity of legislators influences abortion rates in the districts in which they are elected,...

  • Articles

Why governments across the globe are cracking down on civic organisations

Dupuy, Ron and Prakash content that NGOs need to generate resources from the communities they serve. This will make them accountable to these communities and enhance their legitimacy, and incentivise ...

  • Perspectives